


Bloodline: The Beginning

by NightmareGore



Series: Bloodline [1]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Blood and Injury, Cliffhangers, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, First Meetings, Implied Murder, Implied War and Battles, Implied/Referenced Torture, Knives, M/M, Medieval, Obliviously in love, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe, Servants, Slavery, Slaves, This has a spotify playlist i worked really hard on-
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:34:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27702838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightmareGore/pseuds/NightmareGore
Summary: So this is where the story begins..Not with a bang.Not with a triumphant stance.But with a man staring at the stars, wondering what lies beyond the castle's walls.[This story is dedicated to my good friend Toby, who without i would've never made it this far]
Relationships: Seán Bloodtorn/Sealbéath Aonarach
Series: Bloodline [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026075
Kudos: 1





	Bloodline: The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy the first part of this series, i know i said i would work on the Coma story but i was having far more fun working with my own personal characters.
> 
> Please read at your own pace and enjoy this spotify playlist to go along with it: [Bloodline.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7o7K6wFNOho2glZkWoIjZx?si=zC_DXi3nS3m93iC99B2e_A)
> 
> And one for our mysterious traveler: [Sealbéath.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Cp8PXqv7sKumk72w3SX2D?si=lRmYC2RDTPCA1esR_LufTg)

I do have faces for the two main characters in this story  
The Main Character: Seán Bloodtorn played by Eddie Redmayne [Edit made by me using Pixlr.com on desktop]  
  
As well as  
The Secondary Main Character: Sealbéath Aonarach played by Seán Mcloughlin [Edited by Sepitc_Tired on instagram, full credit of the photo goes to them]  
  
  
Without further ado, we may proceed to the actual story.  
  
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Long ago, before the land we know now, when dragons roamed the skies and the deities lived among us in their shrines and in the flora, a child was born with fire red hair. His skin was adorned with thousands of spots and freckles and he bore the first green eyes the world has ever seen. With him a new form of magic was brought into the world, dormant within him as it would be for a long time. He was the first Aurora, a magnificent creature that could sprout the largest, feather adorned, wings that rivaled anything that was not a dragon. They could call upon the nature god's power and sprout beautiful flora with a wave of their hands, they could fly high with the serpents of the skies, and they were able to out live you and me a great deal. However the first of this creature was not blessed with a magnificent life among the wealthy nor among the creatures of the woods. No, he was born into a life of poverty, a type that has long been forgotten, those who were born and raised to serve those who found themselves of higher order than others. That's where this story begins, twenty five years after his birth under the control of a powerful lord by the name of Satiphir. Satiphir was as ever cruel as he was cunning and vain, and he followed the worship of a church that was sworn to wipe the land of freely owned magic so a selected few could possess it for power. For control.

  
  


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Green eyes stared up at the stars that scattered the skies above, curious and searching, for what they didn't know but they held a type of longing hope that was ever burning in their irises. This was his small moment of peace, upon the balcony that hung above the garden that he wasn't even allowed to walk through; here he could experience a sliver of what it was like outside of this castle, away from his lord and master. He looked down from the skies above and stared into the horizon as the wind rustled his scratchy trousers and far too thin tunic. From here he could look at the woods, as dense as they were, and see them stretch far into the distance. He's only been there once, but before he could get far he was dragged back to the castle by a horse, never to leave the walls though he had to admit to himself there was the rare occasion he did sneak through the servant's doors at night and sat at the gazebo near the center of the garden until the sun began to rise. When he didn't do that, he was here, gazing into the distance and imagining what could have been if he had made it far enough into the woods or if he could fly into the sky like a bird and get far far away from here.

Though as his eyes traveled along the land before him, he caught an odd sight, smoke rising in the distance, and it wasn't too far from the castle. His curiosity spiked and he felt a rush run through him like he's never felt before as he looked upon the rising smoke. No one dared live close to the castle, let alone camp near, it was far too dangerous as the lord found it quite easy to prey on those nearby for the smallest of reasons. Purely because he could. What was odd was whoever was there didn't care, well either that or they didn't know.. or they had memorized the schedule of the castle and for that he had to applaud them as it was a hard one to get down. Right now, the only ones awake were him and the guards that roam the halls during the night to make sure everyone stayed in their place in more ways than one. He looked around, looking down to the garden to make sure no one was there and then looking around its edge which bordered the castle and the woods and when he found no one he felt another rush of excitement.. Does he dare? His gaze returned to the smoke that was dancing in the gentle breeze of the area, it would surely be gone tomorrow and he would never know the mystery behind it and for some reason the thought of staying on the balcony set a smoldering regret in his chest.

With hesitation, he removed himself from the balcony and headed back inside through the double doors. He was once again back in the castle's library, having gotten up here through the servant's passageway that was built into the walls of the large castle. The passages didn't go to every room, otherwise by now he would have already devised a plan to escape or possibly he would have already escaped and gone far from here. He moved to carefully reshelf the book he had taken from the walls and move the blanket he had once covered himself with back to its original place so it would appear as if he was never there in the first place. When that was all said and done, he moved to the far right corner from where he was and slowly opened a hidden door within the wall and stepped into a rather narrow stone passageway. Next to his feet on the ground lay a lantern, burning lowly but it was just bright enough to navigate the tunnel with the light.

Now, with the door closed behind him, he picked up the lantern from the ground and held it in front of him for a moment, moving it side to side and squinting into the darkness to look ahead to make sure no one else was in the tunnel or at least as far as the light goes. Once he determined that it was safe to move forward he did so, slowly making his way through the tunnel like passage. Upon reaching one of the first steps in the passage, he nearly falls, catching himself on the wall and scraping his hand on the stone as he almost slid off. He panted heavily as he caught his breath from the scare of nearly falling down such a dark area, when the scare had passed he continued on the descent down from the library tunnel. At the bottom of the stairs when it leveled out he continued on for a good long while before a door slowly came into focus with the lantern shining upon it. He set the lantern down next to the doorway and reached up to undo a latch, feeling the air rush through the cracks of the unsealed frame and watching the light flicker slightly due to it.

On the other side of the doorway was the servants quarters, made of the same stone that the passage was, juxta positioned to the beautiful wood that lined the rest of the castle's interior walls. Moss was climbing up the stone and the wooden floor was slowly being eaten by termites and various other bugs, in the main room there was one simple round table completely surrounded by chairs. In one of the corners was an old stove from the kitchen, having been discarded for being too dysfunctional to be used in the royal kitchen. He walked into the room, deciding to let the lantern burn out in the chambers behind him so as to not risk being questioned by the others on his journey to his tiny room. His walk consisted of light steps and various pauses when the floorboards snapped against the soft soil beneath it but he eventually made it to the door that led to his small room. Then he was securely in the room, containing only a hay bed with two blankets and a tiny wardrobe for small amounts of clothing to wear and one fancy suit for when there were visitors and they needed to look respectable. 

The man moved to take off his shoes with soft soles that were made for trips around the castle and switched them out for a pair of shoes he hasn't worn in awhile, hard sole tied up shoes that would make it easier to walk in the soil outside the castle. Once they were in place he sighed and moved to slowly step forward; he knew that it would take longer for him to get outside due to the slower pace needed to make it through the halls without much sound but he wouldn't have the time to change his shoes after getting to the exit to the garden so this was how it was going to go. Eventually he made it to the door of the servant's quarters that lead to the hallways, seeing as the servant's passages only went to certain rooms (and the floors were made of stone in there) he wouldn't be able to make it to the garden entrance through them so the halls were the best option.

He slowly opened the door, careful every time he felt more resistance than usual as he didn't want the door to creak loudly and give away that he was leaving the servant's quarters. He managed to get the door open just enough for him to slip through and no more than that and he decided to stop there and not risk any chance of noise. Peering his head out first, he looked and listened for the sound of guards walking down the halls for five minutes. When he didn't hear the approaching or leaving footsteps he finally slowly inched his way out of the doorway and slowly and carefully closed it behind him. He then slowly turned around and once again stopped and waited for any sound around him before beginning his way down the hall towards the ballroom, as the glass wall at the back of the room opened to the shortest way out of the garden.

The halls he was walking in were adorned with purple rugs that extended the full lengths of the halls and various tapestries of the lord's family crest and collected armoury lined the walls. The tapestries were adorned by golden tassels that lined the edges, accenting the light blue cloth that the Satiphir crest was printed upon; the crest was a large lion head that rested on a shield and was ironically seated above olive branches that symbolized peace. He nearly scoffed at the implication that the Satiphir line used to be one that would offer a truce or try to settle things peacefully, he could never picture the current lord being such a man, and the people he served with said they couldn't picture the past lord being anything close to peaceful either. It was pretty apparent that they were like this once you saw the weapons that littered the wall between the tapestries, battle axes still stained with blood were crossed over one another (the shields of their past owners above and below them), armour stands sometimes greeted him as he passed down the hall slowly and he would be glad to never see them again, the swords that hung on pikes were still freshly sharpened and he sometimes couldn't tell if the colour of the metal was due to a fresh battle or not. With every step made, more violent decorations greeted him on the walls, though he was thankful for the rug adorned floors as they slightly deafened his steps ever the more and made it easier for him to get to his destination.

At the sound of heavy metallic footsteps, he paused in his venture and anxiety spiked through him as he looked around. There was no place to hide in the halls, at least none that he was allowed to know of so he had no outlet. With a nervous heart, he began to speed up his walking but only on his toes making it easier to be more quiet and he hoped there was a room nearby. It would appear that luck was on the man's side as he spotted a door in the short distance and he made his way over, quicker than before. He pushed open the door and quickly slipped inside, finding himself in one of the many luxe bedrooms that littered the castle with their expense and thankfully it was completely empty. He pressed his ear against the wooden frame and listened carefully, holding his own breath even though he knew the guard wouldn't hear it. Slowly but surely the metallic footsteps grew closer and with each one his nervousness rose and he was half tempted to walk out of the room and turn himself in, but as the steps slowly passed the door he found the temptation to lessen with each heavy step.

He finally backed away from the door and listened as the distant steps passed the room by, though he didn't dare leave until they returned as he was sure he was close to the end of this hall. For now he turned around and his curious heart took in the room before him, seeing in the moonslight what those he served every day got to relish in during every nightly stay in this castle. He slowly walked to the canopy bed, its curtains drawn to their posts and tied with golden ropes that he ran his hands on to feel their rough texture. Next his hands found the bed itself and he leaned on it slightly, his brain not comprehending just how plush and soft the mattress was. Surely if the lord was out on one of his many trips and he wasn't brought along, he would have already shed his shoes and lain on the bed, however in his mind the image of rising smoke made itself known and he found it far more important than some bed for nobility. With a small quiet sigh, he stood from his lean and moved back over to the door of the room and pressed his ear against it one again. The footsteps were already coming from the south of him, meaning his chance was now.

He pushed the door open the same way he had before and peered his head out, looking around generously before he even considered to set foot upon the purple rugging once again. He closed the door behind him as he exited, beginning his now quick walk down the rest of the hall when he came upon a fork, it either continued going or it went to the left and he chose the left. This hallway, though still as valiantly decorated, was much shorter than the last as he could see the exit from it. It led to one of the many spacious rooms for guests to meet and party in, and he knew at this time it was empty though sound carried easily on those walls so he couldn't relax completely. Now in the room, he looked around, seeing the painting adorned ceiling that each large room such as this carried, depicting false gods and the destruction of the magical creatures he called his only friends. He found it rather revolting and was ashamed to be considered one of the most trusted servants that resided in the walls.

He made it through the room with ease, no issues apart from the false warning of a guard coming his way that nearly made him run though he was smarter than that. He spotted a lantern at the end by the room's exit doors, most likely left by his royal dickface which he had an affinity for calling the man during his lonesome, not quite trusting the rest of the servants to not tell him of it. It was always a battle between them, trying to stay on the good side of this lord meant sacrifice, and he was ashamed to admit that he had cost his fellow servants many lashings to save his own grace. There was no other way. A small hum escaped his mouth as he picked up the lantern, surprised to find the flame still slightly flickering. He would need this if he were to navigate himself through the forest and to the smoke, regardless of whether he was caught or not it was dangerous to not have a light in the dark. Bogles could be lurking, the reanimated could always be hidden in the shadows, and a trust light was enough to keep creatures like those at bay.

He opened the door without hesitation this time around, and looking back on it now it seemed rather daft to do such a thing, though he did not care as his excitement grew. He was a short walk to the ballroom, meaning he was almost in the all clear to explore the land beyond the castle walls. He began his venture to the ballroom, closing the door behind him and once again walking along the purple rugging on the ground. His heart leaped at the fact that there were no footsteps to be heard near by nor in the distance, luck surely was in his favour for the night. He made it to the ballroom doorway without a single befoul in his path, no pauses nor sounds to haunt his journey. The ballroom doors opened with a silent ease and he was soon stepping upon a perfectly polished black and white marble flooring that showcased just how extravagant his lord's money was. The doors closed just as easy and the room before him was lit by the full double moons that lay outside the wall of glass on the other end of the chamber. His small lantern did little to combat the moons' brightness during this night as he made his way through the glorious room, not even paying attention to the gold lined walls nor the expensive instruments that lay against one corner of the room.

His gaze was set on the world beyond the glass walls and soon he found himself at the glass doors that opened to the outside world. He almost didn't touch them, frowning as doubts came to his mind. Why was he doing this? Smoke in the distance could be anything, for all he knew it could be a few of the guards escaping the castle for the night for a drink. It made him hesitate, but something was pushing him onwards as his hand moved to press flat into the surface of the glass door and pushed it open. When he took the first step into the outside and the ground crunched under his foot, he knew there was no going back now, he had to see what lay in the distance waiting for him. He fully stepped out into the outdoors, though a hand still was pressed onto the glass door as he looked out into the woods, turning his head to the right to see the rising smoke. He took a nervous step forward, his left hand holding tight onto the handle of the lantern as his right hand slowly left the glass door.

He began his journey through the garden that surrounded the castle grounds, though due to this being the back of the castle it was far skinnier than at the sides and front which made it quicker to get through. Once he passed the shrubbery that outlined the flowers and bushes of the inner garden, he turned his head back to look at the glass door that still was open. He could head back now, stay safe from risking this be some sort of guard meet up, or worse the lord himself. However with furrowed brows and a determined look in his eye, he turned back towards the woods and walked into them with ease. With each step and with each turn he could feel his heart beating ever faster than before. He didn't even try to avoid stepping upon sticks and piles of dried and dead leaves, if he was going to be caught when he arrived then there was no use to try and hide his presence.

The smell of smoke soon reached the servant's nose and he felt his heart rise to his throat, beating loud enough to drown out the various sounds of wildlife that surrounded him as he held his lantern out further to navigate the dense and dark forest. Though it was sooner than later when he began to see the glow of fire in the distance, slowly lowering his lantern to his side and a wave of relief washed over him as he did not hear the sound of rejoicing guards or the stomping of a fidgety horse that belonged to the lord. As he drew ever near though, he could hear the soft puffs of air that a horse made and also the scrape of utensil upon a dish. He was glad he felt the burn of hunger instead of his stomach growling when he thought of food, not wanting this presence to be known due to his hunger.

It was then that he began to actively step upon the various dead branches that lay on the ground, wanting who ever lay beyond the small trees obscuring his view to prepare for his arrival. Then he took the long awaited turn past the small trees and the first thing his eyes laid upon was a draft horse, carrying various carriage along his sides made from what could only be described as dragon hide. The horse itself was a pure black though it carried a striking white mane that was cut short and a matching tail that still held its original length. It was a gorgeous horse and well taken care of too, though what caught his eye next was not the flame of the fire but who was sitting in a profile next to it. It was a cloaked man, the black hood of it resting above his head and hanging in front of where his face would be. It successfully obscured the view of the man. He looked him over for a split moment, noting how he was casually sitting with his knees up and his forearms resting upon them, he took note of the large black boots he wore under the slightly baggy trousers. He caught a glimpse of the untied tunic that was underneath the cloak draped around him and the utensil and dish he had heard from before laying between his legs on the ground.

"H..Hello?" He cringed at the sound of his own voice, it being in a higher pitch though it wasn't bad, it was the accent that accompanied it, it being English in origin and it made his voice sound so dainty and clear compared to the others of this region. He was told it was because he learned to talk from his parents, though he couldn't remember much of them anymore nor where he had come from.

The head of the stranger turned to look at him and with the flickering fire, he could make out the features, or what was being shown. The stranger's face was covered up to the bridge of his nose with a loose black cloth, and he could see the dirt that had been caught by its fibers. However that's not what captured his attention the most, what stood out was the large buttons that replaced the eyes, and the fluff of curly green hair that could be seen falling into the button eyes. Though he didn't find himself scared by the stranger's appearance, he was startled, yes, but he was not scared. He took a small step forward and shifted in his spot as he chewed on the inside of his lip, suddenly nervous though he had no clue on why. With the lantern now hanging at his side, he spoke again. "I.. Do not mean to disturb you, sir, though your fire's smoke is what drew me here.."

The stranger let out a deep hum that made something in his stomach flip, watching as the man before him turned to look at the fire. The stranger then spoke with a voice that made a shiver run down his spine, it was echoey, deep, he knew now he was dealing with someone who was far more powerful than they appeared. Though there was a distinct lilt to his voice, making it rather pleasing to listen to. "You do not bother me being here.. If you wish to join me you may."

It was those words that made him move finally, joining the stranger on the other side of the flame and sitting on the ground. He placed his lantern next to him as he moved to cross his legs as he faced the man in front of him. He looked to the fire instead, not wanting to be caught staring, and it was there that he saw what remains of the man's dinner. Though this time he was not graced with the privilege of his stomach being quiet as it growled rather loudly, making him look down in embarrassment at himself. He had wished his body wouldn't give away his lifestyle, the fact that he was hungry only showed that he didn't get to eat much at all. Though when he looked up, the stranger was already moving to a bag he had placed next to him.

He furrowed his brows and was ever curious about what he was doing, for some reason he felt no danger near this man so he didn't fret the possibility of it being a weapon, and he had no right to. It was when he saw a deep red piece of meat, far darker than any beef or creature he's seen before, that he felt his cheeks heat up. "You don't have to cook for me, sir." He tried quietly, smiling slightly despite the fact he was embarrassed by his hunger.

He watched as the other male, paused mere inches from placing the meat into the cast iron pan he had above the flame. Though it appears as he didn't listen as he placed the slab of meat into the oils of his last meal. The smell alone made the servant's mouth water, he hadn't even seen a meat such as this and the aroma was smoky and savoury. The stranger must've noticed his curiosity about it, though it wasn't hard to spot as he was leaned in more and was observing it rather closely. The same echoey and deep voice spoke. "It's dragon meat.. they're far more rich than beef."

The servant's brows raised at that, taking down a dragon was no easy feat, hence why their meat was never sold in market or shop. He moved back to his sitting position instead of leaning close to the fire and risking falling in. "Dragon.." He spoke softly, "You come from the south then?" A nod from the stranger, "Then what brings you so far north of those lands?"

The stranger, who was currently moving to grab the stick he had most likely used to cook his own meal before this, paused in his actions and the servant began to think he overstepped with the questioning, already feeling the guilt seep into his chest as he began to frown. However he was stopped before his apology when the stranger spoke once more, though his tone had changed, something distant in it that the servant couldn't make out. "I heard of a kingdom further north, a kind king.. Who doesn't follow the church and accepts all into his city."

The man faced the fire once again, using the stick he had to push the slab of meat around on the pan, looking only at it and daring not to look at the servant as he spoke. "It's chill there and it never gets too warm. I'm heading there for a better life, for me and Ghirahim."

"Ghirahim?" The servant asked simply, furrowing his brows in confusion as there was no other person here besides them.

The stranger then gestured behind him to the gorgeous horse that could be seen grazing the grass beneath him, and that made the servant smile softly. He had rarely heard of a horse not named after some grand person in history or without a name that sounded terrifying. He looked to the horse with a fond gaze, already feeling the connection the creature had with its master, one he was sure could never be broken. A bond like that with another creature in this world was rare and often only told of in tales and whispered between others gathered around a fire. Not even his lord could rival a bond like such, many a time he had seen the cruel man's horse trying to rear him off and the ginger haired could only feel sorry for the poor thing, having to carry that man. He then looked down to the stranger, seeing that the other was staring at him for a moment or at least he thought so, it was hard to tell when the person you were talking to didn't necessarily have eyes. "My name is Seán, Seán BloodTorn." He saw the stranger perk up slightly at the sound of his name, making him smile shyly once more. "I serve the lord of the land we are resting on."

The stranger hummed at that, looking out into the forest as he said so, though due to the density of the woods the castle in the distance couldn't really be seen, especially in the dark even though the moons were shining their brightest this night. It illuminated the ground as much as it could through the gaps and it was surprising that Seán had even found his way this far with a mere lantern with how dense it was. However he soon looked to the mentioned man again and pursed his lips under his cloth, soon speaking as well. "..Sealbéath.. Sealbéath Aonarach." He paused, hating how a knot formed in his chest when he saw the servant smile at the name. "If this is your lord's land, why are you able to roam so freely?"

That made the small smile on Seán's face falter for a moment, turning his head to look away from the man across from him and out into the woods. He had to take a moment with that question, he would still answer though it was a rather complicated one. It had been years since he had stepped out beyond the gazebo of the castle grounds, everything he knew was inside the castle that he would have to return to once he stood from this spot. Is it odd that he found the company of this stranger something worth getting caught over? He knows that if he can talk to this man again, if he doesn't leave once the sun rises, then he'd risked it all again tomorrow night. And he finds that terrifying, was he that lonely inside the castle?

Coming from his thoughts, he realizes he's been silent for quite some time and the smile has long since gone from his face, which is rather impolite in company. He manages to pull a smile together, though it doesn't quite squish his cheeks like the one he had once had. In fact he's sure it looks pretty upsetting to see the smile on his face, though he turns to face the stranger anyways. "I saw your fire's smoke from the balcony of the library.." He then looks down to his hands, callused and torn as they rested in his lap. "I haven't ever seen someone dare get so close to the castle.." He then looks to the lantern next to him. "You should keep the lantern if you plan on staying here longer, signaling where you are with smoke is dangerous in these woods. I didn't want you to be taken to the dungeons." He said it rather quietly compared to his past tone of voice, though the smile never faltered.

Seán was then looking back up to the stranger, unable to read his expression due to the cloth but he held his smile and even widened it, the wrinkles returning to his eyes with the smile. "I may not know you but i know that if you've come this far, then you can't risk getting caught now." 

It was silent for a while after that, the man looking down into the pan as he tended to the food he was making for the other all while the servant just sat comfortably in the fact that he wasn't alone for this night. The crackling of the fire was the only sound for a while, and the ginger haired man couldn't complain as he just listened. The forest around them continued to move, however. The sound of owls in the canopy of the woods carried easily through the leaves, the sound of twigs snapping in the distance could be heard as creatures, friendly and not, tried to find a place to sleep for the night. The rustling of leaves could be heard as the borrowed creatures surfaced to scavenge for their own meals.. He could compare his life to that of a burrowed creature. He looked up into the sky once again, surprisingly this was a small bare spot in the canopy but he wouldn't be surprised if the stranger had cleared it himself for the night.

Gazing up at the clear sky, he thought of how strange it was that he had dropped his usual routine to venture back into the forest after so long. His days were full of doting on his lord, bringing him whatever he needed and if something was even slightly off about it, he'd have a scar to remember it. His nights were full of quiet footsteps, usually traveling up the same staircase he descended earlier to get to the servant's quarters. He loved to read, he'd spend his nights reading of the world that was beyond the castle walls, of things he couldn't see from the balcony of the library. It felt oddly surreal to be in such a situation as he found himself in now, staring at the sky and thinking of what he would have been doing if he hadn't moved to the balcony tonight while he sits in front of a stranger's fire. He only looked down from the sky when he heard a small hum, the stranger trying to get his attention, though they aren't really strangers anymore, are they?

Being held out to him now was the dish he had seen on the ground before the other when he arrived, as well as the utensils, though the slab of meat was on it as well now cooked and still steaming. Roasted vegetables were on the side as well, though they weren't the kind he would watch being eaten at an event at the castle, they were freshly picked and crudely chopped for simpler eating. A smile made its way back to his face, thanking the man for the food before taking the dish from him and placing it on his lap. He carved at it with the crude table knife he was supplied with and tore a chunk from the steak, seeing how the center was still a nice deeper red due to the colour. He noted that if it were beef, it'd be raw in the center, to compare the colouring. He glanced up to the other for a moment before he took his first bite and he nearly moaned. The meat had a smoky flavour yet it wasn't tough but it was buttery and tender, he's never tasted anything like it before.

He could hear the other's gentle chuckle as he began to devour his meal rather quickly, heat rising to his cheeks though he dismissed it for the proximity of the flame of the fire. His eyes looked up from his hunched over position over his food to look at the other and once again he felt the prickling of curiosity once again as he looked at the cloth covering the rest of his face. Seeing as he had buttons for eyes, there's a few things he could guess for the rest of his appearance but he didn't want to assume, for all he knew the man looks purely normal under the coverage and protection of the cloth. Would it be that of a doll? or was he just careful when he was traveling and covered his face. He had several questions surrounding this stranger as he looked at him, and thankfully his attention wasn't on the servant.

The man under question currently wasn't even looking in his direction, instead his focus was on a small wooden piece that he held in his hand. He couldn't make out the shape of it, not that it was obscured or anything, it's just the fact that it had no set shape yet. He watched for a moment as the other whittled at the piece with his knife, his eating slowing down so he could watch what the other was doing. The blade grazing along the wood smoothly was calming to him as he ate, relaxing back as he watched. Though their encounter had turned silent, he could tell the ease of the other meant that he wasn't the only one feeling oddly comfortable in it, though they had just met. Seán had a feeling that he was meant to be here this night, that no matter where he had been in the castle he would've left and found this man, sitting in his lonesome and brooding over something like he had been earlier in the night. It was too peaceful here to be something other than that.

It was soon that the servant finished his meal provided by the other, looking down upon the empty dish and wondering why he had weaned his likely limited food supply to him simply because his stomach had growled. A small frown came across his face as he thought about it, surely there were better things to waste food on because it's not as if he didn't eat at all, he was a.. fairly healthy weight, or so he thought; did he look gaunt in the eyes of the other? He never really liked to think about his situation at the castle of his lord much, it always led him to question his stance and where he was in life and if it was worth it. He swallowed slightly as he tried to wrap his own head around his situation, feeling the scar around his neck stretch slightly; he was never going to get used to it being there.

Though he wasn't brooding on his thoughts for long as he heard the other shuffling and the loud pop of a fire log brought him out of it, making him look up to see what the other was doing. The other appeared to be standing, and he may have underestimated the stranger's height. He stood taller than Satiphir, by a great deal as well not to mention his shoulders were broader. He could guess it was because he was a traveler, no one to tell him what to do or what not to do, he could roam the land as he pleased when he wanted and how he wanted. That's what the servant hoped at least, he hoped he wasn't running from something and if he was, then the smaller hoped it was long behind. The other appeared to be going to his horse, opening the carriage and searching through it for a moment until he pulled out a roll of fabric, and the servant didn't need an education to know that it was his bedroll or it appeared to be a hammock to keep him from the ground.

Deciding to not bother the man any more, he moved to stand himself, setting the dish and utensils upon the ground before doing so. He dusted his trousers of the dirt he was sitting on and pulled free any crumples in his thin tunic while the other was tying one end of his hammock to a tree. Now was as good a time as any to make his leave back to the castle, because he knew that if he were to stay any longer he would never make it back in time before the sun began to rise and his absence would be noticed. He looked down to the lantern next to his feet, it had enough oil in it to last the remainder of the night but no more than so. His gaze returned to the other behind the fire pit. "Sealbéath.?" He tried, the sound of the foreign name feeling odd on his tongue.

However it appeared to work, the man's attention was caught and he half turned to face the servant at the sound of his name. Seán had to take a moment once he had the other's full attention, suddenly feeling his nerves alight while he shuffled in place, but he was soon speaking again. "Will you be here after dusk tomorrow? The oil in the lantern will only last this evening and nothing more."

He watched as Sealbéath turned his head away from the other, looking upon the ground now and not answering his query yet. It was a long enough pause that the servant began to feel rather foolish for asking such a question, though he soon received his answer after the traveler looked back up to him. "No."

Not knowing what he expected, he looked down to the ground for a moment as a small fire of sadness bloomed in his chest and he had no idea why. He did not know the man and they had no ties, what would keep the man here while on his journey. His gaze returned to the other and he curled his lips into a small smile, sad though it may be it was still a smile. "I wish you the best on your long journey, please do well to take the lantern with you, you never know when it may do you favours." With that being said, he nodded a farewell to the man before turning to make his way back to the castle.

"Though in a week's time, after seven moons.. I may return during the night."

That caused the servant to pause in his step, looking back to the traveler with a small reddening rising to his cheeks and this time he couldn't blame it on the fire. A small shy smile came to his face as he nodded and looked into what eyes that the other had, green meeting black. "Of course, I will await your return, Sealbéath, with bated breath."

With one last look towards the other, as if they may never see each other again past this night, the servant's head turned back towards the direction of the castle and he continued his walk back. Now, however, it felt as though a string was tied to his back, attaching him to the place he was walking from like a tether and wanting him to turn around. Though, he knew he couldn't as the need to return was far greater than some urge to turn around. Navigating the woods in the dark was harder than he had made it out to be in his mind, though he had a general good sense of direction so he knew which way he was going and thankfully the moons were on his side as it shone brightly through the canopy and guided his path back towards where he had entered the woods. Along his way, he had taken his time as dangerous as that may be, running his hands along the bark of rough trees and occasionally pausing to admire what wildlife he had spotted in the darkness, no matter how large or small it was. He felt safe and the fact that his lack of lantern did not seem to sway the means of his fate tonight only proved his right to feel as such. He was completely at ease among the flora and fauna of this forest tonight, looking around the darkened areas and taking a breath of the air as it wasn't stale like it was in the castle.

It wasn't long before he found himself facing the same shrubberies he had passed to get into the woods, looking upon the glass wall that was at the end of the ballroom, its door still open. He felt an odd ache in his heart as he looked to the open door; the sight of the door through the entrance of the garden was quite beautiful, especially with the vines climbing up the glass, but it signified the entryway to something far more sinister than it appeared. What little of a smile the servant had on his face, from his encounter with the stranger, vanished as he took the first step into the bare land that separated the garden from the forest and his hand, which was grazing one of the trees, returned to his side. The small path back to the door lasted longer to him than the journey through the forest, a frown making itself home upon his features as he walked. 

Walking through the door, he let out a quiet sigh that lightly echoed in the vast ballroom. This time he allowed his eyes to travel over the room, taking in the gold accented walls and their intricate designs that were carved into them rather than added onto them. Half pillars of stone lined the walls as well, though they were faced with gold just to belabor the wealth that his lord had into the mind of others. It was all rather vein, the marble flooring, the wall of glass, all of the gold that was in the room. Even the instruments for the monthly balls had gold upon them, he wouldn't be surprised if Satiphir found a way to make the instruments out of gold as well, though he wouldn't want to be around for the ghastly sound they would make. He closed the glass door behind him before he began to walk around the room, putting his arms behind his back as he gazed at everything he could about the room and mentally comment on how well it portrayed his lord. Gaudy and heavy-handed, so vain that he can't help but mock those who do not have enough money to afford such luxury.

At this point, Seán didn't bother to lighten his steps in the ballroom, hearing his hard soled shoes clack against the marbled floor. His heart was too heavy in his chest to care; just that one little taste of how the traveler's life, Sealbéath's life, went and he was already reflecting on his own. How pitiful it was compared to the other. His days were full of "Yes, sir''s and "Of course, sir"s despite his anguish during the moment and his nights were no better, trapped in a cycle of trying to rush to his quarters before his lord got creative with his requests and punishments as the night brought Satiphir's boredom. He had a few scars of when he was unfortunate in his attempt to find somewhere else to be as the sun set in the horizon. Satipher had found it plenty fun to try and practice his swordsmanship against the servants that were surrounding him one of those nights. Three less of them had left the room that night and many had wounds that would take years to heal. During the next morning, he was left to try and bandage the others, who were too weak to do so, in their beds; it was all out of mere respect that they had all been there to witness such violence. Other times, everyone passed each other as if they were ghosts in the halls, it was only when they were required to that he and the other servants actually talked to one another. It was too dangerous to grow attachments with anything, nonetheless a person, so everyone avoided it at all costs. Yet here the servant was, mulling over the mere week long absence of a traveler who had originally been passing the castle by. No attachments, indeed.

He had reached the double doors that signified the exit, looking up to the grand gold swirls that covered it all, and instead of aweing at the sight of such artistry he frowned ever more as he knew that beyond these doors lied what little of a life he had, if it could be called such. He tried to imagine the life of the traveler he met; could he compare it to the intricacy that decorated the door before him? There were twists and turns in the gold that reminded him of what he thought the life of a traveler might be like. His own was pretty straight forward, a straight line, doing the same things everyday. The other's must've changed every day, something new to do wherever he travelled; the battles he encountered must move in swirls and circles like the design as well. The servant found himself sighing as he thought of it, how exciting it may be to be such a person. Always an adventure around the corner, always something to keep him on his toes. With a hesitant sigh, he moved to grab onto the handles as he pressed his ears as close to the surface of the door that he could, listening carefully for any footsteps that were making their way towards his location. When he found there was none, he slowly pushed open the doors which once again granted him with no squeals to alert anyone. 

Closing the door behind him, he moved onto the purple rugs once again and began to follow them back towards the servant's quarters. Though he had taken a moment to relax in the ballroom, now he was once again lightening his steps to create as little noise as possible and was walking much slower like before. He scrunched his nose upon seeing the violent décor, used to scare those who visited and lived in the castle, a twisted way that Satipher asserted his dominance over anyone and everyone who was in his domain. He didn't need to take in his surroundings much anymore, they were just a reminder on how he was stuck here and that if he were to try and leave this second time, he'd be hunted and killed for it. He was merely a prize piece of property that could be easily replaced in the eyes of his lord, though he found the penalty of death to be rather lenient compared to the other punishments he's seen. He was lucky enough to have only gotten a few lashings on his back and the scars on his shoulder from the small massacre when he had barely avoided the blade that was being swung his way.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of metal footsteps heading his way once again, looking around and finding himself in the area where the guest resides, though the decorations were different from where he had stopped before so he was in a different area. Nonetheless, he slowly stepped over to a door and opened it just enough for him to slip through before closing it slowly once he was inside. As he looked behind him, the room was much like the one he had stepped into before though the colour scheme was quite different. He didn't bother to look around again as he just turned his head back to the door and pressed his ear against the wood, listening as the footsteps neared closer and closer before they were in front of the wooden door. Due to his nerves, he half expected his breathing to give away where he was but he was relieved to hear that the steps kept moving forward; though he didn't dare try to open the door until they were well away from him. When he was able to open the doors, he did so slowly, he couldn't risk getting caught heading back to his rooms now and he'd like to not think about what the guards would do to him once he was found before bringing him to Satipher. It made the servant shutter at the possibilities, he'd rather save having more injuries for something that wasn't as stupid as getting caught in the halls.

Seán's hard soled shoes lightly thudded against the rugs once again and it made a small jolt of anxiety shoot through him, the sound being loud in his ears when in reality it wasn't as loud as he assumed. After a moment's pause, he continued on his way once again, closing the wooden door behind him and continuing down the hallway towards the servant's quarters. It was much like the journey he had taken to get to the forest, full of silence that screamed in his ears and the occasional scare that made him think that he would have to say his goodbyes to what little he valued in this dreaded castle. A good long while later, he was once again at the rundown door that signified the servant's quarters, having spent most of his journey back thinking on how he was going to be doing this again, quietly stepping down the halls, hiding from the guards, making his way out of the garden and.. back to the man in the woods. It was quite the change in his normal routine and he wasn't complaining, it made him excited for the weeks time to be over so he could maybe hear the tales the other would tell of his adventures in the world beyond the castle's walls.

With a small sigh, the servant pushed open the door to the room with a heavy feeling in his chest as he was met with the broken floor boards and rotting walls. He made his way through the chamber and to his own quarters, staring at his hay bed and his mind going back to the traveler who he thought must be sleeping on the ground by now with his lantern burning to keep away the creatures who lurked in the shadows. He would rather sleep on the ground than be here sleeping in his hay bed. None-the-less, he made his way to the bed and sat on it, removing his hard soled shoes and scraping off all of the muck that had managed to stick to it with his nails. His lips pursed as he thought of what the morrow might bring, would he be left to do his laborious tasks or would the lord once again try to have him dote on the pompous man. The thought of having to spend the rest of his week before visiting the traveler with that man, Satiphir, made his skin crawl as he stopped his rigorous scratching and lowered the shoe to his lap.

His thumb graced over the rough texture of the remaining muck and he let out a sigh, his manners kept his outburst from flowing, though he couldn't help but internally shout for his freedom, for change. He knew his wishes would never be granted, he had the wounds to prove it and the broken soul as well. He felt like a newly caged bird, desperately flapping its wings to try and escape its confines and trying in vain to break the bars. He looked up from his shoes to look around his dilapidated room, though soon with a sigh he was falling back onto his bed, the shoe still in his lap.

He watched in fascination as the ceiling of his room turned into a blackened sky filled with more stars than he's ever seen and his walls faded away into a vast forest. He lifted his right hand from his lap and reached upwards towards the stars and they swirled around his fingers as if disrupted like water. He could feel the grin stretching onto his face as he waved his hand around and the stars followed. Though he paused as a second hand joined his, coming from next to him. The hand having stitching around the joints and the skin looking like that of a rag doll. Letting out a breath and his expression turning into one of awe, he watched as stars curled around the other hand, joining his fascination, and he continued to move the stars, smile returning. He didn't stop the other hand from inching closer to his own and brushing against his own, in fact his smile grew as the other hooked their pinkies together. The angle was awkward and it felt odd but he couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the motion of odd affection. He began to turn his head to look at the one who had joined his side..

Loud banging awoke him, making him jolt up in his hay bed as he panted heavily and his head snapped to look around him. He spotted the same wardrobe, his still filthy shoes that had since fallen to the floor, and his raggedy blankets. More banging brought his attention back, looking to his door with wide eyes as he stood up in a rush, dusting the front and back of his clothes before grabbing his shoes and shoving them in the closet to hide the evidence of his nightly activity. "I'm coming!" He shouted, his voice a bit shaky due to its haste.

He then did a once over with his hands again, trying to get rid of anything clinging to his clothing and being stubborn. With a deep breath and a mental once over of his manners, he braced a kind and forgiving smile he had come to perfect faking before going to his door and opening it only to be met with another servant. She looked heavily displeased with him and she reached up to pluck a piece of hay from his hair, making his face turn a blush. She then began to mess with his hair and try to straighten it up despite his protests that he could do it himself. Though he knew the reason for his pamper, he was to attend the lord today and he needed to look nice enough to be in his presence or the lord would find a way to change it himself.

Once the lady was done Seán let out a long sad sigh that she responded to with a look of pity though she made no move to stop him as he slipped on his soft soled shoes for the day and looked to a small cracked mirror he had in his room. The mirror was more of a joke gift from the lord, saying it'd help him look prettier in the mornings though there was a large crack running down its center, though it has come in handy. He straightened his tunic and before he could leave he sent a small prayer to Erus, wishing the traveler a safe journey.

Erus was one of the few stories he remembered from his parents, a serpentine dragon god made of dark and light and blue scales and hairs that was surrounded by the spirits of the past priests who tended his shrine. He is said to be the god of the sky and protector of free travelers. His parents had told him of the shrine's location, on a mountain that was a two weeks travel from here if one were to rest. Though he had never found any reason why the god would listen to him, he had since decided to devote himself to the god and his prayers would go towards him instead of the god his lord followed and forced the servants to outwardly worship. Now he was just glad that he had someone to pray to him for while he was forced to do the actions of worshiping the cruel god that his.

He looked himself over once more before he moved to walk past the other servant so he could hurry his way out of the main chamber of the servant's quarters and into the hall. Once out of the room and in the hall, being met with the purple rugs like before, he nearly jumped out of his own skin when a guard walked by him. He knew he was being ridiculous in thinking they would somehow grab him and tell him he was doing something wrong or that they saw him the other night, but he couldn't help but feel the anxiousness creep up his spine. After he had a moment to regain his composure, he began his way down the hall and his day began.

The start of the seven days until he would be able to return to the traveler went about as he expected when he was paired to be with the lord for the duration of it. The man's nasty temper rose every time Seán did something that wasn't absolutely perfect. Though there was yet to be a hand raised to him, there was the threat of being struck down and punished when he didn't pour the wine properly for his lord. He would get reprimanded every time he got caught daydreaming as he stared out the windows of the rooms he accompanied Satiphir to, told to pay attention to him instead of wasting his time looking out a window he could not venture outside of. Even the rest of the week went like such, though he was surprised that not a single hand was being raised to him yet. He would withstand whatever comes his way during this, right until the last day of his wait, it being a Wednesday on a rather chilly autumn day. The days leading up to it were showing the change of season, and he watched sadly as the garden behind the castle slowly began to lose its bright flowers and began to look more like normal bushes. Though he didn't have time to dwell on the loss of such relient plants, as they would be back next year. Instead all his thoughts were trained to the fact that the day had come for the traveler to return and he greeted the day with a smile as he headed out to do his tasks. 

His day was.. well it was. That is all that can be said about it, it was his normal and for once the lord didn't find it amusing to backhand or reprimand him when he made a small mistake. He wondered what had gotten into the man to make him chipper this day. He had gone through the lord's routine, waking him before waiting for him to be finished bathing in rose petal water, which, to him, was a pure waste of a beautiful creation created by nature. He had attended Satiphir to his breakfast after helping him dress and brought him all of the items and such that he had asked for. The only exception for the day being lackluster was when a thief was caught hiding in the storage room.

He was currently in the lord's study as the day was closing, organizing some new books that had been brought in and humming to himself as they day was relatively calm and he knew that he would be dismissed to the servant's quarters soon to sleep. The tune was one that he remembers fondly, picturing a small faded memory of seeing his mother play the flute and his father on a stringed instrument. Though he can not fully remember what they appeared like or how they sounded, he can still hear the songs they played together. He hoped that even in his later years, he would be able to hold onto this treasure of a memory, it being one of the few that he went to very often when he was down even though the images were so foggy and he couldn't remember much of what was happening. He let his hand trail down the spine of one of the books he was shelving as he recalled the fon memory. He knew his parents were so deeply in love, even with such limited memory of them he knew that, anyone who knew them even for a few minutes could probably see just how in love they were. He wished he could see them today and ask them how they met and how they were able to stay together for so long.

He was startled out of his thoughts, fumbling over a book as he nearly dropped it, by his lord speaking up from his position at his desk. His voice was husk and dry like that of a chimney cleaner, though it had a richness to it that made the servant's face want to curl in on itself or how pompous it was. "Seán.. May you come here for a moment?"

With a small smile and hum, he nodded, moving to set down the book he was holding in favour of turning around to face his lord and walk to his desk. All sorts of thoughts ran through his head as he spotted that the man was smiling, surely nothing good will come from that smile, none the less he returned it and placed his hands behind his back properly. He spoke, putting in an effort to keep his delicate voice from faltering and giving away how nervous he was towards the other. "Yes, my lord?"

The vile man was soon standing, towering over the smaller man and grinning that same sadistic grin was gleaming down as he placed a hand on his hip. "I am sure you know this by now, however the banquet is at the end of the month.." He started, his voice turning a bit sultry which made the servant grow uneasy and his stomach churned as he tried to take a step back from his lord, only to be followed. "I'm afraid I have no one to accompany me to the table this year."

The servant swallowed and tried to prevent the gag from escaping his lips by hiding it with the clearing of his throat instead as he struggled to maintain eye contact with his lord. He began to pick at the skin on the sides of his nails behind his back as anxiousness began to grow, trying to figure out how to respond. "I.. Do not know what to say, my lord. I'm sure there is a fine lady waiting to accompany you to the banquet if you were to ask." He decided to try and stay clueless to the advancement, hoping that this would lead the man towards leaving him be and dismissing him.

"Actually.." Satiphir began, his grumble of a voice breaking the aura of the room so easily. "I was thinking of making you attend.." He trailed, reaching up with a hand to graze it over Seán's neck over his pulse point and watching as tears welled up in the shorter's eyes from the movement. "To show off how.. exotic.. one of my possessions are.." He then moved to put a hand on the servant's cheek, rubbing his thumb under his eye. "With emeralds for eyes."

Seán could hardly keep himself together as his whole body tensed and his hands clutched onto each other behind his back. He couldn't stop his panicked reaction which was to shove the man away as quickly as possible, his shoulders going up to protect his neck and his eyes squinting shut from the disgusting feeling pooled in his stomach. Though when he heard a groan he opened his eyes and lowered his hands to see that Satipher had stumbled and rammed into his desk's corner with his full weight, surely becoming injured and likely to have a bruise or worse. He felt dread seep deep into his bones as he realized this, paralyzing in fear at what he had done. It all felt like everything had slowed, watching as his lord's eyes looked up at him with such seething anger, he saw the glint of a dagger being pulled from the desk's top. He felt the burning stings on his cheek before he realized the other had moved, then he felt the trickling of blood down his face.

Everything caught up to speed when he was being shoved into the bookshelves behind him by his lord. his hands reaching behind him to try and stop his fall, only to be grabbed by his collar as tears began to stream down his face as his eyes snapped up to meet those of the angered man. His hand flailed behind him trying to grab onto something for support before being lifted and slammed back against the bookshelf, the books he was previously trying to use for support being thrown to the floor. He heard the screaming first however.

"You can't just shove me to the side you pathetic little slave!! You listen to me, your life revolves around me!"

Seán was lifted from the shelving again and rammed back onto it, making him let out a choked sound as pain spread over his back and he slumped against the shelving slightly as Satiphir kept hold of his collar. However the sound of the study door being knocked upon was enough to distract the lord long enough for the servant to slip from the man's grasp. He desperately made his way towards the door, hearing the larger man's heavy footsteps behind him as he threw open the door. He nearly ran into the person on the other side but he didn't care, he merely pushed his way past them and kept going, stumbling as he went down the hall. He didn't dare to try and look behind him, though he couldn't hear any footsteps following him; they could just be drowned out by the thumping of his heart in his ears.

He threw open the door to the servant's quarters when he arrived at it, letting it slam against the wall and not caring as the others in the room shouted at him and tried to ask what the deal was. The tears streaming down his face and the sticky feeling of blood on it as well should've been enough to warrant anyone from approaching him, however when someone began to crowd in his space he was quick to shove them away and make his way to his resting area. He didn't care if he would be getting questioned soon or if someone was coming to his door. He went straight to the wardrobe and opened it, grabbing his hard soled shoes that still had muck stuck to them. He almost forgot to take off his soft soled shoes, kicking them off and hastily putting on the others in their place. He then stood and grabbed his blanket, wrapping it around himself before he shoved past whoever was trying to talk to him in his doorway.

After he made his way out of the servant's quarters he ran. He ran as fast as he could. His steps thundered on the purple rugs that lined the halls and he didn't spare a second glance at the decorations. He didn't care if he was running past guards. He couldn't hear them follow him anyways. He was soon shoving open the heavy double doors of the ballroom, it was then that he took a moment to pause, catching his breath as he panted in the echoey room. It was thankfully empty and he began to walk towards the glass doors at the end of the room. He realized how careless he had been rushing through the castle and shoving past others, he was lucky to not have been stopped by a sword or worse, but he couldn't be in this castle right now, he knew that Satiphir would come looking for him within the walls. He was lucky the man was a brute more than a scholar and was hoping that he wouldn't think to check beyond the garden, if he was then.. He would have to make a run for it, run far into the forest and never look back.

With a deep breath he moved to place his hand upon the glass, the coldness of it sending shocks to his fingers and making him flinch for a moment. He couldn't be so careless this time around, moving his hand from the bare glass and quickly moving to rub off the print that was left with his blanket around his shoulders. He would have to leave no traces of his exit through these doors. He then reached for the handle instead, pushing open the door just enough for him to slip through. When he finally did move into the doorframe he felt himself tense. An Outlaw. Someone always on the run is what he would become if he kept going forward, never having a bed to return to and never knowing if you were going to eat at all. He could turn back now, take his punishment, his lashings.. Go to the banquet with that vile man. He would be forever abused, though he would have a roof over his head and a bed to turn to at the end of the day. The books he adored would await him in the night and occasional meals would greet him over a months time. His eyes looked back into the ballroom, seeing the gold of the room glisten with the setting sun. This castle was all he knew, it protected him from things outside of the walls, things far worse than his lord could ever be. He swallowed as he finally caught his breath, his hand loosening on the door frame. What was he doing? He didn't even know where he was going to go. Where would he go? He let out a sigh as he moved from the doorframe and let the glass door close and settle in its place.

He listened to the crunching of the leaves under his shoes as he began to head towards the garden's border of bushes, being as quick and light as he could so he would escape the views of the windows soon to avoid being spotted. Once he passed the barrier of the garden, the forest in front of him was waiting for him, the turning auburn trees waved in the wind as if beckoning him to disappear into its darkened existence. He let out a breath he had long since forgotten he was holding and gladly slipped past the first set of trees into the shaded area. He knew where he was going, where he was going to end up. He was looking for the breakage in the shade, where the last rays of the sun would shine through and reveal a small patch of cleared out trees. A clearing that hid behind a growing sapling. He felt his nose grow colder in the chilly air that was soon to take over the night as he made his way through the trees, not caring if the undead were lurking in their shadows, not caring if there were wargs staring him down like starved vultures of the ground. He was determined to see the man who had given him such kindness though they had only met once. He was soon coming across the sapling that had hidden the previous camping ground, surprised to see the lantern next to it as the sun finally set below the horizon.

Its flame burned and he felt tears come to his eyes as the promise was kept. He carefully made his way around the large sapling to see a stark black horse with a white mane and that of a hammock set up between two trees. Though he did not see the cloaked towering figure he knew he was here and that was enough to bring tears down his face, wincing as it met the fresh wound on his cheek. He made his way to the center of the clearing, seeing a recently put out fire pit resting there. He decided to make that his place, sitting a good distance from it as its still smoldering woods wafted a bit of heat over a small radius. He finally felt himself relax in his place as he waited for the taller man to return from wherever he had gone to do whatever he was doing. His eyes drifted to the ground and part of him felt silly for coming here, though he wanted to bid this traveler one last goodbye before he was to start his life on the run, hiding from the penalty of abandoning his lord and master. His heart ached for he would be leaving early tonight despite him asking the man to return so he could speak to him far longer than he had during their first meeting. It's bittersweet in a way, he would get to hear possibly a tale or two that the man had of his travels however he would never hear them again and his goodbye would be final. He had no idea of where he should be going to be heading after he parted ways with the traveler, but he would have to move on the best he could to evade the law of the land. He looked up from the ground to look around the now dark woods, the light of the oil lantern piercing the darkness enough for him to get a good view of the close area though his interest was in the way the rising moons were starting to pierce the shadows of the night. He pursed his lips, the thought of a creature emerging from the darkness filling his mind or worse, the thought of one of the soldiers from the castle.

His head snapped over from looking at the surrounding woods however when he heard the shuffling of someone approaching, nearly jumping out of his own skin as he thought the worst immediately, thinking that they had followed him into the woods or had found his location due to the light of the lantern. His startled look softened when he met the button eyes of the cloaked traveler, though his previously covered face was now in the open, the bandana being loose around his neck. Seán's eyes looked over the nose and lower face of the man, stitching going through the lower portion of his cheeks though they had long since come undone, showing an inky blackness that resided underneath. Some of the strings, old and stuck in their previous form from being sewed in for so long, still hung down from his cheeks. His mouth was pitch black though the opening looked the same as the rest of the broken stitching, he could tell where it was due to it being wider ad lacking any sort of stitching left over, that and the fact that it was lined by a moustache and beard combo that fit the man rather nicely. He felt his cheeks flare as he realized he had been staring for quite a long time and cleared his throat before speaking. His voice was shakier than he'd like due to his slightly teary-eyed state and the movement of his wound stung. "It is good to see you kept your promise, I had been half worried that you would not remember or would never return and had just announced your return so as to not hurt my feelings."

When he received no response, he noticed that the Sealbéath's eyebrows were furrowed in concern and he was staring as well. Though the other wasn't staring him in the eyes, his head was tilted too low to be doing so. He watched as the other set down a small cloth bag and began heading towards, seeing that the bag was filled with small berries once it was placed down. His attention was brought back to the taller one once he noticed the man getting far closer than he had expected him to, the blush returning to his face though it made him wince as more heat was brought to his wound. He watched as the stitched man's brows furrowed more and he crouched down in front of him, his hand reaching up to lightly trace over the edges of the wound. It was only then that the man could discern that the wound was in the shape of an X on his face and took up the entirety of his cheek. He averted his gaze and looked to the ground, choosing to not say anything as he was observed by the other.

"..Who hurt you so severely?" He heard the low voice of the man speak out as the hand left his face, though he was remaining in front of the ginger, studying how he was acting, surely taking note of the way he tensed at the question. 

Seán could barely look up from the ground, only glancing up to see the look of concern before growing ashamed and looking back down once again. He knew once he spoke of what had happened, he would have to bid his farewell to the man as he would not be able to withstand the rest of the night with the looming sense of the final goodbye. "My lord did. I.." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I had refused his advance, rather harshly if I might say and he did not find it worth sparing me of punishment at that moment." He then moved to try and sit up more, unable to withhold a grimace. "I also believe I have more injuries forming on my back as well."

He then waited for the man to process what had been said, watching out of the corner of his eye as he saw him sit on the ground with him. He heard the small grumblings though he could not make out what was being said. He could ascertain by now that this man was a quiet creature, not often speaking though when he did it often held importance or was to respond to someone addressing him. He was starting to think the other would continue to grumble to himself when he received an actual response. "What is your plan now?" He asked before pausing, seemingly trying to figure out just what to say. "I know I am correct on my assumptions that you are not here under the same circumstance as our last meeting."

And that is when the servant's breath caught in his throat for a moment, the topic he was afraid of, speaking of what the rest of his life would be like. "I run. I had ran from the castle.." He let out a shaky sigh as he looked up to the other finally, looking into his black button eyes. "I had come here to bid you a final farewell before I find my way through to the other side of the forest. Though I know it is fairly redundant of me to be leaving so soon though I had been the one to ask you to stay." He then pulled off his signature gentle smile, though fear filled tears were pooling in his eyes, scared of what would become of him. He looked at the frown the other was sporting at his words, not expecting such a reaction from the rather stoic man. He knew that this was going to be the last they would see of each other tonight. A bitter end to a story that had just started.

"Come with me."

Seán barely had any time to react as his bitter thoughts came to a stop in his mind, his smile faltering slightly as the other continued. Sealbéath's voice was firm and his face had grown a serious look to it as he spoke. "Come with me.. I'm heading towards the north, I told you of the kingdom that resides there. You wouldn't need to endure any more of this pain there." He paused. "The journey is long and difficult, yes.. But I can promise you I will keep you safe.." His brows then furrow once again as he reaches up to gently trace over the servant's wound once again, letting his hand fall as he looks into green eyes. "Come with me."

Seán couldn't be hearing this correctly, but the gentle touch around his wound that he could still feel on his face was telling him this was real. He felt a warm feeling wash over him, one he had never quite felt before but it made tears fall down his face. He felt more secure than he had ever been in his life, looking to the man whose life he had stumbled in upon. He had welcomed the ginger with open arms the night they met, fed him and let him stay with him under the stars with no denial in sight. Though he didn't have eyes, he could tell the traveler was looking at him with urgency as he awaited his answer. He would be traveling with the other for the entirety of the journey to the northern kingdom where they would both be safe. He didn't know if this would go wrong, he barely knew the man in front of him, but what other choice did he have. The danger of going across this world alone was far too great to deal with alone, it was surprising that the other had managed to make it this far on his own as is. He didn't know, though the gentle presence of hand moving to gently take a hold of Seán's forearm was solidifying his choice and he spoke, voice soft and uncertain. "Alright.. When do we leave..?"


End file.
